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Chamber and committees

Enterprise and Culture Committee, 03 Oct 2006

Meeting date: Tuesday, October 3, 2006


Contents


Subordinate Legislation

The Convener:

Item 3 is subordinate legislation. We have three Scottish statutory instruments to deal with today. To assist us, we have two representatives from the Scottish Executive: Louise Sutherland and Kirsten Simonnet-Lefevre—I hope that my pronunciation was reasonably accurate.


Designation of Institutions of Higher Education (Scotland) Amendment Order 2006 (SSI 2006/398)

Do you want to say anything on the amendment order before we consider it?

Louise Sutherland (Scottish Executive Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department):

I have nothing to add to the Executive note, but I could give a short introduction to the order if that would be helpful.

The amendment order was made during the summer and was required to reinstate higher education designated status to the Robert Gordon University until the transfer and closure order comes into effect. A transitional provision was, unfortunately, omitted from the original order continuing the designation as a higher education institution for the university until its closure and the transfer of its assets and employees to the new university.

Thank you. The Subordinate Legislation Committee considered the order on 5 September and raised no points on it. Does any member have any questions or points to make?

Members:

No.

Okay. Do members agree to note the order, given that it is a negative instrument?

Members indicated agreement.


Academic Awards and Distinctions<br />(The Robert Gordon University) (Scotland) Order of Council 2006 (SSI 2006/452)

The second instrument is also a negative instrument.

Louise Sutherland:

The order of council enables the newly constituted Robert Gordon University to grant degrees and other academic awards.

The Subordinate Legislation Committee considered the order on 19 September and did not raise any points on it. Does any member have any points or questions?

Members:

No.

Do members agree to note the order in council?

Members indicated agreement.


Robert Gordon University<br />(Transfer and Closure) (Scotland) Order 2006 (SSI 2006/461)

We come to the final order.

Louise Sutherland:

The order closes the university as currently constituted and transfers its assets and employees to the new university with its modernised constitution.

The Convener:

The Subordinate Legislation Committee considered the order on 19 September and raised points with the Scottish Executive. However, the Executive was not in a position to reply to the Subordinate Legislation Committee in time for its meeting on 26 September. Therefore, the Subordinate Legislation Committee asked that the Enterprise and Culture Committee consider the Executive's response directly, details of which have been circulated as part of the paper to members.

I will ask Christine May, as she is a member of the Subordinate Legislation Committee—

Jamie Stone is a member of the Subordinate Legislation Committee.

Do you want to add anything, Jamie?

Mr Stone:

As far as I am concerned, the order is pretty satisfactory. I counsel caution in that I am a member of the Subordinate Legislation Committee and we are asking the Enterprise and Culture Committee for its opinion, so I almost have to withdraw from the discussion.

Do members agree to note the order?

Members indicated agreement.

We asked the minister, Allan Wilson, to come at about 3.15 for stage 2 of the Bankruptcy and Diligence etc (Scotland) Bill. We will suspend the meeting for six minutes.

Meeting suspended.

On resuming—